Police blame drunk driver for deadly crash on I-93 in Windham

WINDHAM -- A Berlin woman was charged with aggravated drunken driving after her car slammed into a vehicle stopped to change a tire in the breakdown lane of Interstate 93 at Exit 3 in Windham, killing one a man who had been riding in the car.

State Police said a Honda Accord stopped in the breakdown lane near Exit 3 southbound and the driver and two passengers were removing the spare tire from the trunk. A Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by Pauline Kochniec, 47, of Berlin slammed into the Honda from behind.

The man who had been driving was dragged along the highway and was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

A woman who was riding in the Honda was taken to Parkland Medical Center with what State Police termed serious injuries. The other passenger in the Honda was not injured.

Kochniec was waken to Elliott Hospital to be examined. Police say she could face additional charges.

The State Police Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team continues its investigation and has asked any member of the public who may have witnessed the accident to call State Police Troop B at 672-3333.